Weighted denture



Nov. 4, 1952 A. B UHLER WEIGHTED' DENTURE Filed Aug. 12, 1947 INVENTOR. 4004 F Bl/HL 5/? BY a /4 Patented Nov. 4, 1 952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,616,175v Adolflfliifi2bififvijiland Application August '12, 194'], Serial No. 768,224 In Switzerland November 19, 1945 Section 1, Public Law 690, August 8, 1946 .Patentexnires November 19, 1965 4 Claims. (Cl. 322) The present invention relates to improved dentures and more particularly to an improved weighted denture for the lower jaw.

The denture according to the invention is substantially characterized by the fact that at least one comparatively heavy insertor inlay is em-. bedded in the denture in such manner that the denture material which is relatively light in weight completely envelops .the aforementioned insert or inserts. The insert to .be embedded in the denture should conform in size and shape to a "small nu r f standard z mass-producedsizes .and shapes of dentures.

In thedcnture according to the invention the relatively heavy, weighty inlay or inlays are maintained in such position by the aid of suitable supports during envelopment with the denture material in the cavity of a flask so that the aforesaid inlay or inlays are necessarily completely covered and surrounded by the denture material when the denture is manufactured.

The annexed drawing illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Figure 1 shows the initial stage in the production of a denture for the lower jaw made according to the invention;

Figure 2 shows a model to be used as a positive;

Figure 3 shows a negative model made from the positive one (Fig. 2) ready for packing, in which the wax has been removed or boiled out and only the teeth and the inlays are in their proper position.

Figure 4 is a section taken along 4-4 of Fig. 3.

The denture according to the invention is made as follows: A foundation about 1% inch thick is formed with pink wax on top of a functional or cusp impression. A weighty inlay or insert 3 meeting the requirements of size is selected from a small number of standardized mass-produced sizes and shapes, which, for example, may be made of tin, and fitted to the wax base. The insert is provided with holder or clamp receiving means, such as retaining grooves or notches 3a extending into its surface. It is necessary that the selected insert is spaced about /3 inch, or a material 2, therefore it may prove necessary to adjust the inlay or insert 3 to comply with this requirement. In the region of the middle front teeth and of the last two molars the notches 3a of the inlay should be sufficiently deep. Thereafter the clamps 4 made of light, rustproof-steel wire are placed and fitted into predetermined notches. If the denture material to. be used is a synthetic resin the metal inlays and the clamps little less, from the outer surfaces of the denture .5 a e painted with a p k enamelv r the metal inlay wax is placed and the teeth are mounted. For taking an intermediate fitting in the mouth the clamps are removed. After inserting the clamps .4 again in position the Wa model is completed as shown in Fig. 2 to the positive wax model .5. This wax positive is .now embedded in the plaster of the one half 6 of a flask ,5. .1. The Wax is then removed in the usual manner by boiling and th p as o the half-flask .6 ho ds the embedded te th .8 and also the clamps .4 fixed at their Lends in .the plaster (Fig. 3 left, and Fig. 4). The freespacell .around the inlay 3 is filled with the denture material up to the level of the clamps in such manner that firstly the teeth 8 are enveloped by the denture material. Now the metal inlay 3 is placed on the clamps 4 and thus supported is covered with the denture material 2. The flask is now ready for a careful pressing of the denture, and subsequently the rubber is vulcanized or the synthetic resin polymerized. Care must be taken during these operations that the half-flask 6 with the clamps is always in the lower position till the denture material is hardened.

The aforementioned crosswise extending clamps 4 serve the purpose of acting as supports for the metal inlay 3 and to prevent sinking of the same into the plastic denture material 2. It is apparent that by the measures described the metal inlay is completely surrounded in the denture material and enclosed by the same. After removing the denture from the flask 6, 1 the ends of the clamps 4 protruding from the denture are clipped off and ground even with the surface of the denture.

The production of a weighted denture according to the invention, with a metal inlay completely enveloped by the denture material, can be carried out like any routine work of a dental laboratory.

Inv the production of synthetic resin dentures the clamps made of rustproof-steel wire can be replaced by supports 4 made of the same resin but already polymerized. For partial replacement, 1. e. of extracted teeth that do not need a total prosthesis it is possible to cut out a suitable part of the metal inlay. In such case each part of the denture must be supported by at least two clamps 4. The metal inlay 3 can be temporarily fitted onto the model of an impression taken with a plastic mass and employed as an individual impression tray additionally to function and cusp impressions.

The advantages afforded by the invention are as follows: In contradistinction to the metal bases hitherto used for weighting lower dentures the metal inlay according to the invention is completely enveloped by the denture material. This afiords the possibility to make use of mass-produced, cheap metal inlays which need only be available in a limited and small number of shapes and sizes, because such improved dentures do not need inlays or inserts exactly made to the individual requirements. For such reason much time, work and costs are, saved.

Furthermore it is apparent that the weighty inlay can be mounted inside the denture by a simple method that can be carried out in every dental laboratory without necessitating a second vulcanisation or a second polymerisation of the finished Weighted denture.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be'secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. A denture made of relatively light denture material and adapted for use on the lower jaw comprising at least one inlay made of weighty substance embedded in said denture material and extending therealong, whereby the denture material completely envelops said inlay, said inlay being provided with grooves extending in spaced apart relation to each other across one surface of said inlay, and supporting means positioned in some of said grooves and in contact with the surface of said inlay and forming respective anchors for the latter in said denture material, said supporting means being in the form of strips of polymerized synthetic resin.

2. .A denture according to claim 1, in which said denture material consists of the same synthetic resin from which said supporting means are made.

3. A denture according to claim 1, wherein said supporting means are U-shaped to hold said inlay in position in said denture material, said supporting means extending to the outer surface of the latter.

4. A denture made of relatively light denture material and adapted for use on the lower jaw comprising inlay means made of weighty metal substance embedded in said denture material and extending therealong, whereby the denture material completely envelops said inlay means, spaced apart retaining means arranged to extend in crosswise direction to and into the surface of said inlay means, and U-shaped supporting means engaged by some of said spaced apart retaining means and extending from said inlay means to the outer surface of said denture material at opposite locations thereof.

ADOLF Bi'IHLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 85,600 Michaelis Jan. 5, 1869 594,486 Nichols Nov. 30, 1897 1,324,521 Rowbitzky Dec. 9, 1919 2,418,833 Harris et a1 Apr. 15, 1947 2,423,330 Levine July 1, 1947 

